AI and biometrics: two technologies with potential to accelerate the recovery of tourism

BUSINESSWIRE – As we see how to support the recovery of the industry, and restore traveler confidence, it is important to think about the role that technology plays.

As we see how to support the recovery of the industry, and restore traveler confidence, it is important to think about the role that technology plays. This is a key topic that I have explored in a series of 3 blogs, in which I talk about safer and stress-free travel, and what our travels will look like in the future.

Many of these technologies that are indispensable to support the industry in the new normal are currently being used. However, accelerating its adoption will help increase confidence and security, essential if we consider travel after COVID-19.

For me, there are two technologies that stand out due to their potential impact on increasing traveler confidence, improving travel by reducing stress, and removing friction in operations. These are biometrics and artificial intelligence.

Biometrics enables easier travel
Traveler identification will become increasingly important to reduce friction caused by physical contact points. The role of biometrics when integrated with portable check-in and baggage drop kiosks, security checkpoints, and electronic gates, has the power to radically transform the way we travel.

We have worked with airports for several years implementing biometrics to improve passenger flow.

Using an app, passengers can check in for the flight from home as an alternative to physical check-in at the airport. Once at the airport, passenger identification can be confirmed by cameras installed in various locations including, self-service kiosks, baggage drop-offs, security gates, boarding areas, and even at airline lounge access points. This has had significant potential to reduce queues and bottlenecks. For example, Amadeus has worked with San José International Airport and US Customs & Border Protection to board passengers on international flights without the need to show physical identification at the gate. boarding, and a similar project with Los Angeles International Airport that helped Lufthansa board an A380 in approximately 20 minutes.

The use of biometric technology throughout the traveler experience will become much more common as we recover. Just like building a safer travel experience, you will create a faster one as well. Additionally, because it allows contactless nature in the experience, it can be implemented to support travelers by prioritizing hygiene and safety during their travels. The idea of ​​contactless travel is something that I have explored in previous posts, looking at what it will mean for our trips from booking to arrival at the destination.

Artificial intelligence to offer better experiences to the traveler
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to be applied during the traveler experience in a variety of ways. By thinking specifically about the complexity of choices and variables that travelers face as they consider future travel, AI can be used to simplify recommendations based on a detailed understanding of their needs and requirements. We have research teams of specialists and data scientists at Amadeus exploring all the different use cases. For example, we tested machine learning in flight search to segment travelers and deliver the most relevant results. We’ve seen an increase in bookings as we made it, thanks to the customer choice model or real-time personalization experiences.

But more importantly, it has also made the buying, searching and booking process easier for travelers. Prior to the pandemic, in 2017 we saw the early stages of airline investment in AI technology, with United Airlines working with Amadeus Alexa to enable contactless check-in and real-time flight status updates. As the demand for transparency and access to information increases once travel restarts, I expect to see more of these partnerships reinsuring travelers during all stages of the journey.

During the journey, AI can also be applied to reduce the impact of problems. As the constraints are lowered, the recovery is unlikely to be linear. Therefore, the application of AI will help to manage changes and problems dynamically. By reassigning flights and passengers automatically, you can help smooth airline and ground operator operations, while removing traveler anxiety. AI analytics can go a long way in helping airlines minimize costly problems. For example, unplanned maintenance accounted for 30 percent of the total delay at airports, potentially costing airlines millions in revenue. Using AI, airlines can analyze the data to help predict any future problems and ensure an easier trip for travelers.

In the future, an amazing application of AI could be seen on Feasy, Amadeus’ digital concierge service. Today, we use business rules. Once we have enough data, we could use AI to send notifications to travelers that allow them to maximize their time and improve their travel and lifestyle. The app can bring together different pieces of information and data about travelers to make smart suggestions. For example, you might suggest to a traveler who is about to embark on a week’s vacation that now is a good time to make an appointment with the local auto dealer for service and maintenance. Likewise, it could automatically book a suitable traveler appointment for a medical checkup or vaccination, based on what is required for a future trip.

From an industry perspective, AI can be used to predict traveler behavior that will better help travel companies anticipate demand and prices. This has the potential to be vital in supporting recovery as different regions and destinations open up to tourism in different phases, and what happened in the past will not necessarily be an indicator of the future.

We can envision many use cases and to foster innovation in the industry we offer AI-based APIs so that anyone can explore new opportunities.

As the travel industry continues to adapt, modern technology will be vital in supporting travel businesses and travelers. Innovation will be a major factor for the recovery of the industry, and to maximize the impact of the two exposed technologies we will require working together with our clients, developers, start-ups and partners while we experiment with new ways of doing things. Data-driven Artificial Intelligence and biometrics have the potential to accelerate and enable industry recovery because they support both operational and business fine-tuning, even more importantly it will help us focus more on the traveler.